DEAD FACTIONS - the Zombie War Narratives - a Novella by Michael Carr

pointing her thumb back over her shoulder as she makes her way back to her friends. 
    “Corey…real quick before she gets here…if you ever find yourself in a position that you need the upper hand, just break the vial. You will have instant access to unimaginable strength and other abilities that will help you defend yourself.” The Doctor turns to Tonya as she walks up.
    “Didn't you guys hear me? They are claiming these weapons as theirs?!”
    The leader of the survivors follows Tonya to the jeep. "Hey, no hard feelings! I didn't mean to piss your girl off or anything. We are just trying to make it, like you.”
    Corey tunes out everything else said after GIRL and looks back at him, “I suggest we cut the shit talk and take arms.”
    Tonya just gazes at him, as if to say, “ We will talk later.”
    The leader senses the tension and begins to walk off then stops, "Hey, maybe I should know your name.  Mine’s Andrew.”
    Corey looks down at his wrist, feeling only a fraction of himself…almost as if his name does not fit him anymore.  With some hesitation, he replies, “Corey.”
    Richards smirks, proud of his advanced Lu-Ci-4 subject, quietly adds, “…the Zombie Killer.”
    Andrew puts one hand to the side of his mouth as he heads back to his group and shouts, "I thought we should know each others’ names so we can put it on our markers…in case something happens...you know.” Corey's eyes tense up...he does not like the sound of what Andrew has said. Death is not an option for Corey.
    Tonya’s head tilts, “High hopes that one has! So what's up?”
    Corey still seated in the jeep looks past Tonya, “Turnaround. Looks like they are going to need us.”
    Tonya turns to see what Corey is referencing. She sees a zombie clan approaching. On foot a group of about twenty armed undead advance and stop approximately100 yards from the survivors’ camp. One of the undead soldiers holds a flag with an insignia, different from the one branded onto Corey's chest. Seeing the flag wave against the desert breeze clarifies what Thomas had told him earlier. There were in fact other warlords that had assembled their own dead factions and would stop at nothing to get what they want…weapons, control, power over a world in chaos.
    Realizing they are barely outnumbered by the band of zombies, Corey turns toward the back seat, “Patrick, I want you to stay here. I need you to watch our backs. I don’t completely trust Andrew’s group.” 
    Patrick points at the Doctor, "What about him?”
    Corey smiles, “You can handle him.”
    Patrick’s head cocks back with some surprise, he does not find Corey to be funny. He then looks over at the Doctor, “I wish you would try something, I’m bored and this gun has a full clip.”
    Tonya, not shy, works her way back into the center of the parked weapons. She takes position behind a tank’s mounted gun and aims for the zombie army that has hidden behind numerous abandoned cars and such. Corey grabs his bag from the jeep and places it over his shoulder allowing it to rest across the right side of his chest. He begins to walk east, away from the survivors.
    Tonya raises her head and throws one hand in the air, “Corey! What the Hell?!”
    Corey turns, walking backwards as he yells at Tonya, “I got a feeling. I'll tell you in a minute.” Continuing to walk backwards, he looks at his friends, smiles, and takes in the distant, fading group of humans. He feels insightful, intelligent. The sudden realization of what is truly happening to them became apparent to him. Without effort his brain quickly analyzes the situation and computes the most likely scenario…they are facing a trap...the forces in front of them want the humans to concentrate all of their fire power towards them. If they did not, they would not have made themselves known. Corey senses that the humans might be out flanked from another direction...just to be on the safe side he wants to scout it out. His newly found